The Demon Within
by Nox Eternix
Summary: Gumball Watterson, an average happy-go-lucky blue cat found himself stuck in an eternal nightmare. Not only that he suffers from hallucination but also exhaustion over time. After a few weeks later, his nightmare became a horrifying reality and he realized that he's probably the cause of it. -Requested by mr black cat (minor mistake fixed on chapter 2)
1. Chapter 1

Argh. *Cough*... What is this pain inside my chest? It felt as if I was hit by a speeding truck and dragged for a few meters before falling to the ground. My body was under stasis, preventing me from moving except my head.

The weather is ridiculously cold here but on second thought, I noticed I'm on top of a mountain in the border of Elmore. I turned, scanning the area. What flashed before my eyes was horrifying; flames trailed across Elmore streets as weird creatures covered the sky. Briefly, my body returned to its original state, urging to move and investigate the area.

I moved silently but my legs are aching. The first place I think about is Elmore Senior High. I raced across from buildings to buildings while avoiding myself from been noticed by those creatures above the sky. It didn't take long until I reach the school, shocked, the building is totally ruined with blood coating the place.

"Wake up!" I immediately bounced out of bed, seeing Darwin holding a bucket full of water ready to splash at me.

"Are you trying to splash me with cold water?"

"We're going to be late if you keep lying on the bed!"

"What time is it?"

"8 o'clock! If you don't wake up now, I'll go there without you," Darwin scowled. I hate to wake up seriously...not under this cozy weather. Leaving the bed is like throwing away your most precious thing, but still, I can't miss school and Penny might be worrying if I do.

Darwin stormed out of the room only then I finally decided to wake up. Thinking about the nightmare I had last night, it's better to forget about it. I changed into my normal clothes slowly and making my way to the bathroom. When I was about to brush my teeth, my vision became blurred followed by an intense amount of dizziness.

I feel like vomiting. As I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, I saw blood dripping down my nose. When I tried to touch the blood, my fingers weren't stained. Am I hallucinating? I wondered.

I burst out of the room and the effect just somehow faded away. "ARE YOU COMING!" The shout came from outside followed by the honk of the school bus.

"COMING!" shouted back as I leap down from the second floor and straight out of the house door.

Darwin had already boarded the bus and sat in our usual seat not long before I joined him sitting near the window. He was glowering. "Sorry…"

"Apology accepted."

"Wait…. Are you just going to accept that? I mean, there must something in you," I feel uncomfortable, though, he's usually like this. Probably he's trying to plan something and have me do it or maybe just nothing, I'm doubted.

"Fortunately, yes; I wouldn't want to carry some indirect anger to school and worsen my day," Darwin sighed. So, it's just me thinking too much—

"Hey, Gumball!" I could see Darwin shouting at me, but I couldn't hear anything.

He looked worried. But I can't tell while my eyesight is getting blurry. Then everything fades to black. I felt my skin retracting, the temperature dropped rapidly taking my senses away. Is this what death feels like? Being endeavored by the darkness around you, alone scattered into dust and be forgotten by the universe—

"No, I still have unsettled business with you," the voice gave me goosebumps. It sounded dreadful and sinister yet familiar. A bright light flashed through and my hearing slowly restoring. "Nurse, is he going to be all right?" The voice was faint but I could guess whose it was from. Darwin. Though I am expecting Penny instead but never mind.

"Where am I...?"

"Gumball, you're awake! Do you know how worry I am after you suddenly fall unconscious?" I could tell by his tone of voice that he is worrying.

I tried to lift myself up from the bed but the nurse pushed me back. "You need some rest to relief your stress," said the nurse. I sighed, thinking back that I'd hallucinated weird things. But I couldn't bring myself to rest due to my energetic nature.

"But, I'm totally fine!" I tried to reason with the nurse.

"No." A simple yet powerful tone struck me down.

"If you don't have enough rest, you gonna have a mental breakdown. And trust me, you wouldn't like it when it happens. Consider this as a fair warning, but if you still insisted on waking up then I'm not the one to concern about your health," she warned.

"Sure..." She sounded threatening but yet it's for my good. For a second, I hesitated to wake up from the bed. Darwin looked worried as he watched me getting to my feet.

"How many periods have I missed out?" I asked.

"Half. I came to visit you when recess," he replied.

"What!? I missed out half a day at school?" I couldn't believe I passed out for so long.

"Yup. Right after you passed out on the bus, I took you to the infirmary knowing that you wouldn't want to miss a day at school."

"I think I had overdone myself yesterday..." I recalled running for several miles non-stop and climbed a mountain thrice because I wanted to become a man who I could be proud of by doing extreme exercise even though it could cost my life, but I don't believe that I will die so easily.

"I think you should rest..."

"Nah, I'm fine now. Speaking of which, I'm hungry. Wanna get something to eat?"

"Sure..." Darwin can't stop worrying after what had happened. That must have turned him on and I felt bad for putting him under unnecessary pressure.

When I turned the knob, Carrie was just about to phase through the door. "Hey," she greeted.

"Sup."

"I saw Darwin carried you to the infirmary this early morning... What happened?" She wondered.

"He kind of overdid himself yesterday," Darwin replied before I could spit out.

"Oh... You must have done those extreme exercises from the commercial on the TV." Wow, I'm impressed that someone actually spend time watching commercial "unlike" me. "Didn't you know that at the end of the commercial, there is a warning written there 'Do not try to attempt any of these exercises showed in this commercial as it might cause fatal injuries as well killing you in the process'?"

"Oh yeah, I probably got caught up by the extreme and skipped that warning," I tried to think back the commercial and only see red blurred words.

"As they said, curiosity killed the cat. Fortunately, you're still alive."

"Barely alive," Darwin added. I gazed at him and he looked away.

Carrie giggled. "You guys continue, I have places to go. See ya!" She warped out as usual which makes me think that having the ability to teleport wouldn't be bad if properly trained but it can end you up at places that you have least expected.

We arrived at the canteen only to know that it had just at the right timing the bell rang. I sighed. "So... whatcha' gonna do?" Darwin asked.

I can stand a day of not eating but missing class is something I could not accept. But the feeling of an empty stomach grumbling makes me want to eat… still, it's inevitable. "Never mind, let's just head back."

 **After School**

"Dad, I'm back!" Weird...the house is eerily quiet. Dad wasn't in his usual couch. Anais is still not home yet due to her school projects. Darwin was hanging out with Carrie which I told him to so that they understand each other even more. I never thought to left myself home alone then I heard the sound of the engine. Must be Dad. Lying on the couch I stared at the ceiling wondering. Briefly later, Dad came in by the door. "Oh, Gumball. You're back."

"Where did you go?"

"Nicole told me to get some groceries at the grocery store but I kinda forget where I put the list before I go."

"Dad, it's in the back pocket," I told him, noticing the paper was sticking out obviously.

He reached it and pulled out, "Oh, silly me. Anyway, wanna come?"

"Nah, I'm just going to chill at home." Today is being a rough day, my body still feeling weak after yesterday "exercise".

"I'll be home soon, see you later." Dad left again. Silent kicked in which gave me an eerie feeling but it managed to calm my thoughts. It wasn't long until I fall asleep on the couch.

"Elios, have you not thought about this?" the voice echoed across the hall, strong and noble tone. There's a pair of wings with metal plates mounted on it poking out the person's back wearing a white robe.

"I've thought about this since the child was born, every life deserves to live to their finest before they part way with the world, Trion." said a tall mighty person, his words fill with wisdom as he spoke.

"You know his capabilities. You know how much potential destruction that he could cause. YOU know what he might become if he gets influenced!" the winged person shouted in anger.

"I'm aware of his potential but I'd sworn to never interrupt anything. I know you had experienced something bad in the past. Your determination is what led you to become an Archangel to cleanse the demons."

Trion hesitated and tried to reason back but instead, kept himself silent as he left the place. The Mighty person, Elios, sighed as he watched Trion flew out by the gap of the arch walls of the hall.

"If only my sister was still living and managing the Underworld, everything could be avoided because of one certain entity..." He entered a room filled with white floating squares, Memory Vault. One of the squares is visualizing images and the bottom left of it written, Trion.

Buildings collapsed and the sky painted red. Black smokes had engulfed the village and people were running away from a winged demonic-looking creature with three eyes and sharp teeth. Its height is humongous and multiple limbs attaching out of its body. Sweeping its arms back and forth on the ground as people caught by it squashed, smudged by the force leaving the ground with remnants of disorientated organs and blood.

Trion, a person with a crew cut and an average body figure holding a knife as he tries to fight the creature only to realize that he is easily overwhelmed. His stomach was pierced by the sharp edge of the creature's tail, leaving him lying on the ground hopeless before he could respond. The creature continues to wreck his village.

Tears were running down his face as he heard the screaming of his people, one by one fading away until nothing except the creature's screech. Slowly, his vision dimmed out when he took his last breath

"Have faith..." Elios muttered. The image slowly faded to blank.

"Siah!" An angel charged into the room. "The Vortex, it's spreading!"

The Vortex, a portal that links Earth and Underworld, but it was always sealed to prevent anything from coming out. Time after time, the seal will begin to weaken and spread its size until certain degree that it can no longer prevent the "things" from coming out. The Vortex was settled under the Hall visualized in a transparent sphere. Any form of magic used on the sphere will be directed at the Vortex.

"I'm aware of it," Elios turned, concealing all the memory box. "Is Enntus still strengthening the Vortex?"

"Yes. Lord Enntus is keeping the Vortex in place but his spirit is slowly exhausting even with the help of many angels."

"I see. Inform him that I'll take his place."

"But..."

"We cannot afford to lose another God or Goddess for sealing the Vortex."

"Understood..." The angel left and went to the Vortex.

"Uldene...I will meet you soon," Elios muttered to his sister, leaving the Memory Vault and proceeded to the Vortex.

Upon Elios arrived, Enntus was chanting on a rune circle linked to the sphere. It wasn't long until Enntus suddenly fall to the ground and broke the link. Elios rushed to him while picking him up supporting him around his shoulder. "Something...is...wrong," Enntus noted before passing out.

Without any second thought, Elios set Enntus against the wall beside him as he took his place on the rune circle. Unlike Enntus when Elios used his magic, the room immediately filled with runes glowing in amber color. The angel who was told to inform Enntus, carried him to the Healing Shrine beside the Hall.

Trion, receiving no permission, had accessed the Underworld by himself to stroll around. He's still angry. Out of accident, he saw someone at the center of the eight Vortex's runestone. Hiding from being seen, he observed the person from afar.

"Such stupidity...using their power to prevent the gateway from expanding. Little do they know that I am stealing their magic bit by bit," said the person.

Trion overheard the person. On the middle of his way back to the sacred ground , he was pressed to the ground by an invisible force, immobilizing him from moving. "Where do you think you're going?" An evil grin appeared before him.


	2. Chapter 2

As Trion met the devil's eye, he felt a sudden burst of anger surging through his veins.

"Oh dear… I wasn't expecting to see someone like you wandering around at this hour," said the slender tall devil who stood before Trion. Its arms are nearly the exact height of Trion with sharp claws that could probably cut through anything. The devil looked Trion with a pity expression, he walked towards him with his glowing blue eyes as if he felt disgrace for all things existed. "Your father wouldn't even muster the courage to enter this realm," mocked the demon.

"Mephelius! Are you the one who orchestrates the ritual!" Trion asserted without second thought.

"Even though I'm a warlock and an upper-class demon, I am not fond of ritual spells." The demon argued but Trion cannot bring himself to believe the demon's words.

"You." he pointed at Trion with his right index claws. "Son of the most magnificent demon hunter, Irving Haswel, reincarnated as an Archangel, you should be able to distinguish a demon's trait by a single glance, couldn't you?"

"Enough of your blabbers!" Trion snarled.

"Sigh, people like you are headstrong. You think that demons crave for soul, yet you dismissed those who wanted to feel like a human; who wanted to live along side with humans," said Mephelius as he slowly lowers his claw.

"None should have the rights to even step onto the surface or enter the sacred ground."

"That is where you are wrong. How often do you visit the mortal realm? It's common knowledge for beings like you that, demons are lower beings who known to bring bad luck to others, but that was the past. How often do demons cause trouble to the mundane nowadays? All I saw were humans trying to summon ancient demon or such, occultist or heretic or whatever you want to call them. They have twisted thoughts and sick demeanour," Mephelius affirmed as he felt disgusted by the archangel's statement.

"Just a reminder, this ritual was held a week ago and is gathering both energy from the Underworld and the Sacred Ground. And to be frank with you, this isn't any mere ritual that can be done by any demons, not even myself." Mephelius turned as a pair of dark shadowy wings grew out of his back. When he was just about leave, he warned Trion with a dreadful look. "Stop looking for answer in the Underworld, none of us holds the answer to your situation. Whose motive is this is not my concern, but demonic aura should never be harvest and mess with."

"Also, that person you saw earlier, it's better not to confront him recklessly," Mephelius added and as soon as he finishes his sentence, he darted into the air, vanished from Trion's sight. He sighed, returned to the Hall as he kept himself silent about what he was told earlier. On the peak of a pillar structure located at the heart of the Hall lies his room, big enough to fit a bed, a desk, a chair and a closet with a bird's eye view over the sacred ground by the window of the room. He stood by and stared down the horizon.

"How long do we have until everything crumble…," he asked himself, remembering his forefather. Trion figured that the Vortex is gathering magic from the anyone who is keeping it sealed, yet there's no way to prevent it since it only tears a rift space in the mortal realm.

The air breezes over my fur as it slowly vibrates, the same atmosphere I felt yesterday nightmare. Abruptly my eyes opened to a shadowy silhouette with an obscure face, though it had a distinctive humanoid figure. Yet, I'm calm and undaunted to its disproportional fading figure.

" _You're quite an anomaly, aren't you_?" his demonic tone… I recognize it but I couldn't recall where I heard it from.

"I've seen my death countless of times, nothing surprises me…. So, what are you?" I replied with a calm tone.

"I am nothing. Some may call me their saviour, and some may address me as their demon. My sole existence is not important to anyone except those who I possess. Your time is soon to come to an end, and when that happens. the fate of this world is in your hands. Whether to end it or to save it, it's your decision," said the figure, noting something is coming as a strong gust of wind suddenly bashed at my face with a vision of Elmore which looked like Hell.

" ** _Your fate, you decide,_** " finished with an ominous tone, it faded away before you. All of a sudden,

I jumped to my instinct from the sofa, Anais is only standing beside it. I guessed she just returned home from Elmore Junior High after finishing her school project over there. She looked concerned and tired. "Gumball… are you okay?" she asked. I glanced out of the window to see the dusk had kicked in before looking at her.

"Yeah… I'm fine." No. I'm clearly not judging by how worry she looks.

"You are sweating a lot…"

"I… just had a nightmare—"

"But you don't usually get a nightmare, unless you did something really bad," Anais stated, which is true. I don't usually get nightmare especially in bored daylight, unless something is haunting me. But this isn't the case, I would consider the nightmare I'm having from last night and just now is quite abnormal. Nonetheless, I'm too bothered to care.

I told her not to worry about my well-being. I know well about myself and how bad I am at telling lies. I pulled a fake smile which she had knew every time I felt uncertain. She sighed, followed with a worried look before making her way upstairs and to her room.

Have I screwed up? Probably. The house is quite silent… Dad and Darwin still hasn't return home. Mom will come back late probably due to overtime.

I made my way to the backyard and sat by the stair. The air is cosy and warm, added up with the ambiance made by critters which calms my mind. What exactly do I have in common? Nothing, absolutely nothing. I'm just an average cat who contradict the law of this universe. Yet, I feel quite grateful to live in such a strange world.

Even though it can be utterly terrifying but also beautiful at the same time. Even how awful I felt right now, there is no way I am allowing my friends to see me _suffering_ especially Penny. Maybe I should pay a visit on Mr. Small— never mind, most of his "advice" never work except few on lucky occasion.

A bright shooting star just went past the horizon. I managed to caught a glimpse of it, abruptly, shadows started creeping around me, the atmosphere turned dead silence. It lasted for a moment. There were satanic gibberish hissing around my ears which send shivers down my spine.

"Wh-who are you…?" I called out, expecting a reply but only death silent. It faded almost immediately as the atmosphere reverted back. A cold breeze went over my body just before returning back into the house whilst reminding myself that I was just hallucinating.

These crazy ass occultists sure need to learn how to not summon a demon… Guess Trion is in my debt again for getting rid of those fanatics.

Holstered my Eradicator back in its holder, one after one body I counted. A total of five but there should be six of them. _Felix_ , I sighed in frustration with my left arm scorching in flaming trails. _Why can't I successfully hunt down the last member of any heretic group in my god damn LIST!_ I shouted as my voice echoed throughout the old abandoned building. It was a church for demon exorcism purposes back in the old days. Knowing that it had become a place for summoning rituals and occultist gathering, it saddens me that how corrupted humanity can be, to harness demonic energy for their own benefit but also threaten the safety of mankind.

However, to them, I'm a monster and to fight fire with fire, they schemed on how they are going to kill me. Some tried to poison me, some called upon the demons of the Underworld to hunt me and some even managed to summon a demon god against me. Even though there are boundaries that weren't meant to be crossed, yet they do not care for a slightest bit.

 _"Orion?"_

A voice came into my head all of a sudden as I was just about to dispose the dead bodies in the room.

"Trion?" I responded, noticing the urgent tone and masculine tone. He's probably who would call me telepathically. Mephelius would just show himself quite literally in front of me if he ever needs me.

"It's happening again..."

"Again? I could have sworn I have killed him... Anyway, the eight rune stones?"

"The exact same ritual, I must say. However, I saw someone between the rune stones when I was down there investigating. But, Mephelius told me not to intercept the person or whatever he is."

If Mephelius, a ridiculously powerful demon told him not to confront that person, then it is no laughing matter that that person is dangerous. There are numerous artefacts with unimaginable power sealed down there, but never forgot that there are still things far more dangerous than these artefacts.

"Would you take his word as granted?" Trion asked.

"It's wise you did…"

"But, that _thing_ is using the ritual to harvest power from Gods," His voice rose slightly.

"How long have the rift space been opened?"

"Approximately a week ago, Mephelius stated. Enntus has fallen yesterday for keeping the rift space opened as little as possible. Elios is now taking his place, though I don't know how long he will last until his power drains out," Trion sounded concerned but I could feel the fury building inside of him.

All of a sudden, I felt my senses are tingling. "I have company." I muttered before cutting off any connection with Trion.

"So, you have come to receive your redemption?" I shouted. My hand is only right beside my Eradicator. Felix entered from the only doorway in this room.

"I have come to claim your soul." He said with a menacing tone. My eyes glanced over a crystal shard he held in his right hand. It glows in dark purple colour, giving me an unsettling sensation.

I slung my gun from its holder with my magic channelling into it. The barrel illuminates when magic energy accumulates inside the 'chamber', signifying its capacity.

"Perish," I muttered, holding down the trigger as soon as I felt the energy accumulated is sufficient. A large ball of energy fired out the barrel at Felix. The crystal in his hand broke apart, releasing a thick miasma contained inside the shard, engulfing the occultist whole with the projectile devoured by the miasma just before it was about to strike him.

Metamorphosis shard, I recalled. A crystal that contains harvested demonic energy that could turn any living being into a monster with immeasurable power once shattered. Though, where did he obtain such artifact worries me.

Of all the demons I've hunted excluding corrupted demigod, this one gave the most unsettling atmosphere. With the miasma still remain, came an ear-piercing shriek followed a pulse of energy capable of slightly cracking the wall of this room.


End file.
